Jane Dismore
janedismore.bsky.social
Jane Dismore
@janedismore.bsky.social
Biographer; writer royalty/history. FRHistS. Out now: No Country for a Woman: The Adventurous Life of Lady Dorothy Mills, Explorer & Writer (The History Press). Radio/TV. Web: www.janedismore.com
My book, shortlisted for the #EABA 2025 (Biography/Memoir) is now on sale in the #USA . Lady Dorothy Mills' mother was American, the daughter of a railroad magnate, who married into the English aristocracy (the Walpole family). Pub. The History Press #History @writerscentre.bsky.social
November 17, 2025 at 2:40 PM
100yrs ago Lady Dorothy Mills, explorer/writer, dressed as a bat: not for #Halloween (it wasn't a thing then) but the Chelsea Arts Ball 1925. She flitted (ha!) between high society & the solitude of desert/jungle, which she needed. My bk No Country for a Woman, shortlist #EABA @edp24.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Recently, the Countess of Sandwich gave me access to the family's archive at Mapperton for my potential next book. In return, yesterday I gave an online talk to her talented transcribers in the #USA Great fun. #research #History #Biography #books
October 27, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Delighted to share that my book - the first one about Lady Dorothy Mills, explorer & writer - is shortlisted for the #EABA 2025 (Biography/Memoir category). Results in early Jan. @writerscentre.bsky.social #History
October 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Pleased that, as well as the usual places, my bk No Country for a Woman: The Adventurous Life of Lady Dorothy Mills, Explorer & Writer is also on sale at Rosemoor, the famed gardens. Why? Lady D was the half-sister of Lady Anne Berry who gave Rosemoor to the RHS in 1988 (as the notice says) #History
August 25, 2025 at 7:35 PM
On 22 June 1916 in #WWI Lady 'Dolly' Walpole marries Capt Arthur Mills. Her ring's made from the bullet that wounded him. He's clever & brave but has no money: Dolly's father disinherits her. She becomes a famed explorer & writer. My book No Country for a Woman pub. The History Press #women #History
June 22, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Looking forward to speaking at this tomorrow eve, Thurs 22 May @waterstones.bsky.social St Albans, with fellow biographer @dspring.bsky.social and chaired by @kateagriffin.bsky.social Our books are the first on our chosen women. See you there! #History #women
May 21, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Always good to see your book 'in the wild'. Here it's @hatchards.bsky.social Piccadilly. 'Mills was a pioneer....It is hard not to like the figure who emerges from these entertaining pages'. (Spectator). No Country for a Woman: The Adventurous Life of Lady Dorothy Mills, Explorer & Writer. #History
May 15, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Today saw the fascinating exhibition Tarot: Origins & Afterlives at the Warburg Institute, London, about the Tarot's long history. This pic is of a card from the world's oldest surviving complete deck, c. 1490. I was with #author @marthadunlop.bsky.social whose wide knowledge of #tarot helped.
April 24, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Good to see my book No Country for a Woman: The Adventurous Life of Lady Dorothy Mills 'out there'
@waterstones.bsky.social Gower St. London. Thanks to the kind assistant who took me to to it: I was looking in #Biography but it was in Exploration- fair enough, as Dolly was an explorer! #History
April 24, 2025 at 6:57 PM
In April 1925, Lady Dorothy Mills is in Tel Aviv & witnesses Lord Balfour open the 1st Hebrew University. Thousands gather to see him. 'Never,' she writes, 'have I seen, heard & actually felt such a fierce fervour'. Dissent too. More in my bk pub. The History Press. On sale in #USA in Nov. #History
April 7, 2025 at 7:27 PM
In 1931, Lady 'Dolly' Mills said if she won £££ she would 'contemplate fitting out an expedition to the moon. I know all the scientists are against me, but I believe it could be done.' Today she'd make sure she was w/the #women on #BlueOrigin (Photo: Elle) My book pub. The History Press #History
April 4, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Springtime visit to Wimpole Hall, Cambs, built 17th century. Owners included earls of Hardwicke. Its last private owner was Elsie Bambridge, daughter of Rudyard Kipling. She bought it in 1930s w/husb George. Here's their grave. He died 1943, she 1976, giving it @nationaltrust.bsky.social #History
April 3, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Lady Dorothy Mills was born into the political & literary Walpole family. Her father was an English earl, her mother, Louise, the daughter of a #US railroad magnate. My feature in the current @theamericanmag.bsky.social looks at the #American connection in my book . #History #Biography #books
April 1, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Great to have my launch event at the lovely Holt Bookshop in #Norfolk where Lady 'Dolly' Mills grew up. It's the 1st book about this explorer & writer who was huge in the 1920s/30s. The Spectator: 'It is hard not to like the figure who emerges from these entertaining pages'. #History #books #travel
March 26, 2025 at 12:49 PM
'Mills was a pioneer, and those of us who have followed stand on her shoulders. It is hard not to like the figure who emerges from these entertaining pages.' Nice review in @thespectator1828.bsky.social On Thurs 20th Dolly goes forth again! @womenshistnet.bsky.social #History #travel
March 17, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Excited to receive author copies of my new book! No Country for a Woman: The Adventurous Life of Lady Dorothy Mills, Explorer & Writer, pub. 20 March, The History Press. 'A fascinating biography of a fearless woman.....I loved it.' Lady Antonia Fraser. #History #Biography #books
March 12, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Back from a break in Tenerife - and in Jan 1923, Lady Dorothy Mills stops there on her way to West Africa, writing that 'Its Casino has reason to rise up and call me blessed'! She reaches Timbuktu, becoming the 1st English woman to do so. My book out 20 Mar, The History Press. #History #women #books
February 25, 2025 at 5:59 PM
For #ValentinesDay an early Donald McGill postcard, from my collection of his designs. #History #antiques
February 14, 2025 at 6:51 PM
My first post here! Introducing myself & my forthcoming book - the 1st about talented, complex Lady Dorothy Mills. Born into the Walpole family, disinherited for marrying the 'wrong' man, she takes charge of her destiny. Always in the news in 1920s/30s. Out 20 Mar, The History Press #History #women
February 13, 2025 at 5:23 PM